Merit Makers

Thanks go out this week to Venerable Lhamo, Gary Mickey, Patti Pandya and Joey Gooch for setting up the beautiful Tara altar in the middle of the gompa for Tara practice that took place last Saturday. Gary and Joey set up the altar early for the volunteers to set up for the practitioners.

We happily invite visiting teachers to our gompa several times a year. Everything that happened with Venerable Amy's visit last weekend depended on the hard work of a few people who hosted the teacher, drove her to and from teachings, and organized all the logistical details behind the scenes. Big thanks to our Visiting Teachers team - Linda Saah, Suzy Boehm and Laura Carballo.

Thanks go out this week to John Kelley for stepping in to volunteer as a bookstore clerk. (Pun intended, he volunteers with a cast on his foot.) Our bookstore serves the Center and its members in many ways and John happily comes in early and stays late on Discovering Buddhism nights to make sales and chat with the students. Thank you John, you are appreciated!

Thanks go out this week to Joey Gooch and Patrick McGinity for steadfastly, year after year, preparing our fire pits for the Dorje Khadro Fire puja on New Year's Eve. They take the time to set up the fire pits, maintain the fires for us and then clean up after. We are grateful to you guys for making it easy for us to burn away our negative karma and start each year with a clean slate.

Thanks go out this week to our greeters: Jason Jenkins and Karen Beesley. Your consistent kind offering of greeting our members and visitors with a smiling face has been beneficial to all. Thanks for helping folks feel comfortable no matter if this is their first time entering a Buddhist temple or their 521st. You are appreciated! Others are welcome to sign up for this volunteer position too.

Thanks go out this week to our All Star Mowing Team! Big shout out to leader Scott Dickerson and team members: Paul Krebs, Tom Stanton, Josh Henson, Chase Haddix and Peter Cranford. Thank you so much guys, for keeping our grounds groomed and looking good all summer long. We appreciate the generous effort and time you gave to the Center during the hot summer! Thank you so much.

Thanks go out to Tim Mulhern who donated funds to purchase our new Flower Offering Station! You can now make flower offerings under the pergola outside and find all the vases, tools, water and inspiration you need. This is also the location to empty spent flowers that you might notice on the altar.

Thanks go out this week to Naga Dhoopati, Peter Cranford and Meredith Bass. All three were early for an event and asked if they could help. Yes! Working together they dusted all the Dharma books in the library and Bookstore in a flash. Teamwork makes everything more fun and go much faster. Thanks guys for asking and your willingness to step up. You are appreciated!

Thanks go out this week to our new pen pals Kadampa Center Prison Project, Jason Jenkins and Kyle Caldwell! All of our pen pals diligently pick up their letters, correspond and discuss the dharma in a casual and meaningful way, and help the inmates stay connected. There are many more inmates in need of a pen pals. Go here, https://kadampa-center.org/pen-pals to join the team!